There are two very pretty girls from the East
visiting in the garrison, and several of the wives of officers are
young and attractive, and the mingling of the pretty faces and
bright-colored dresses with the dark blue and gold of the uniforms
made a beautiful scene. It is not in the least surprising that girls
become so silly over brass buttons. Even the wives get silly over them
sometimes!
CAMP SUPPLY, INDIAN TERRITORY,
April, 1873.
IN the last mail Faye heard from his application for transfer to
another company, and the order will be issued as soon as the
lieutenant in that company has been promoted, which will be in a few
weeks. This will take us back to Fort Lyon with old friends, and Faye
to a company whose captain is a gentleman. He was one of Faye's
instructors at West Point.
I have a new horse - and a lively one, too - so lively that I have not
ridden him yet. He was a present from Lieutenant Isham, and the way in
which he happened to possess him makes a pretty little story. The
troop had been sent out on a scout, and was on its way back to the
post to be paid, when one evening this pony trotted into camp and at
once tried to be friendly with the cavalry horses, but the poor thing
was so frightfully hideous with its painted coat the horses would not
permit him to come near them for some time. But the men caught him and
brought him on to the stables, where there was trouble at once, for
almost every man in the troop claimed ownership. So it was finally
decided by the captain that as soon as the troop had been paid the
horse should be raffled, that each man in that one troop could have
the privilege of buying a chance at one dollar, and that the money
should go in the troop fund. This arrangement delighted the men, as it
promised something new in the way of a frolic.
In due time the paymaster arrived, the men were paid, and then in a
few minutes there was brisk business going on over at the quarters of
the troop! Every enlisted man in the troop - sergeants, corporals, and
privates, eighty-four in all - bought a chance, thus making a fine sum
for the fund. A private won the horse, of whom Lieutenant Isham
immediately bought him and presented him to me.
He is about fifteen hands high and not in the least of a pony build,
but is remarkably slender, with fine head and large intelligent eyes.
Just what his color is we do not know, for he is stained in red-brown
stripes all over his body, around his legs, and on his face, but we
think he is a light gray.
